Christie Trumpsplains His Candidate's 'Riot'

Gov. Chris Christie continued Friday in his new role explaining what Donald Trump means when he makes statements deemed extreme.

This time Christie had to Trumpsplain what the candidate meant when he told CNN Wednesday that there'd be "riots" if Trump won the most delegates, but wasn't awarded the nomination at July's Republican convention. "I think bad things would happen, I really do," Trump said.

As Trump's most high-profile surrogate, Christie often moderates Trump's more extreme statements. So at an event in Elizabeth, NJ, where Christie was announcing a new tax proposal for non-profit hospitals, a reporter asked Christie whether Trump was inciting violence with this comment.

"I don't think he meant literal riots," Christie said. "I think he meant political riots, and I think that's what would happen."

It is unclear how a "political riot" is different from other riots; Merriam-Webster describes all riots as violent.

"I know now everyone now likes to take things literally, but I know what he meant," Christie said.

If Trump wins the most delegates, Christie added, Trump should get the nomination. If there are do-overs at the convention, he joked, then he himself would like to be nominated.

Matt Katz, New Jersey Public Radio/WNYC

Political reporter Matt Katz is The Christie Tracker at WNYC.org. NJ Spotlight is hosting his blog and running his stories, which can also be heard on WNYC 93.9 FM and 820 AM, as well as New Jersey Public Radio: Trenton 88.1, Sussex 88.5, Netcong 89.3, and Toms River 90.3.